Announcing the 2022-2023 National Endowment for the Arts for the Big Read Community | Catch My Job

Washington, DC—The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with Arts Midwest, is announcing support for 62 nonprofit organizations to deliver NEA Big Read programming in 2022-2023. In total, the NEA is investing $1,071,140 to support programming centered around one of 15 different contemporary books with the goal of inspiring meaningful conversation, artistic response, and new discoveries and connections among participating communities.

“It’s inspiring to see how NEA Big Read grantees use these books as launchpads for their own programming, often creating community conversations, new partnership opportunities, and encouraging participants to incorporate art into their daily lives,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D., National Endowment. Chair of Arts.

“Across America, in communities large and small, NEA Big Read connects neighbors and inspires creativity,” said Tori Allen, president and CEO of Arts Midwest. “We are excited to support this year’s grantees as they bring the pages of these great books to life through innovative programming.”

Each NEA Big Read grantee is receiving a matching grant of $5,000 to $20,000 to support programming on one of 15 contemporary books, 12 of which are new to the 2022-2023 NEA Big Read. Examples of 2022-2023 grantee programming include:

• Arts Connection(San Bernardino, California) programming centers around Tommy Orange there there This will include guided tours conducted by the Native American Land Conservancy of the Oases of Mara, first settled by the Serrano people and later by the Chemehuivi. Cultural Resources Tribal representatives will share the historical significance of the site and discuss its current and continuing vitality and relevance.
• Delta State University(Cleveland, Mississippi) programming around Ya Gyasi going home It will include a scheduled presentation by culinary historian Adrian Miller about black culinary history and a conversation about the culinary traditions, knowledge and products of enslaved Africans brought to the United States and their rich culinary contributions.
• Eastern Connecticut State University(Willimantic, Connecticut) programming around Charles U Inner Chinatown The book will include an online virtual exhibition with creative responses (visual art, graphic design, new media and literary texts) to studying stereotypes.
• Maryland Public Television(Wings Mills, Maryland) programming around Ross Gay’s Catalog of overwhelming gratitude, will hold a ten-day challenge of gratitude. Participants will be encouraged to reflect and look for elements of challenging experiences that will help them feel gratitude.
• Quincy Public Library(Quincy, Illinois) programming revolves around Rebecca Tassig nice sitting Events will include events for patrons to learn more about and participate in adaptive sports and learn conversational/basic American Sign Language. Library programming will be adapted to meet a wide range of needs in our community through sensory-friendly story times and resource kits to provide additional support to community members who want to experience the library and NEA Big Read.
• Wichita Public Library Foundation (Wichita, Kansas) will begin its programming around Rose Chast Can’t we talk about something more pleasant? With a community event featuring a photo slideshow, The Beauty of Aging, with photos submitted by community members depicting their family and friends in later stages of life.

Read more about the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, a partnership with Arts Midwest, expands our understanding of our world, our communities and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Since 2006, the National Endowment for the Arts has funded more than 1,700 NEA Big Read programs, awarding more than $24 million to organizations nationwide. In addition, NEA Big Read programs reach every congressional district in the country. Over the past 16 years, grantees have received more than $56 million in local funds to support their NEA Big Read programs. More than 5.9 million Americans attended an NEA Big Read event, more than 97,000 volunteers participated at the local level, and more than 40,000 community organizations partnered to make NEA Big Read activities possible.

For more information about the NEA Big Read, visit arts.gov/neabigread. Organizations interested in applying for future NEA Big Read grants should visit the Arts Midwest website for more information.